The Student Room Group

I'm still waiting to get onto a PGCE

Hey guys,

I thought seeing as there is a thread for everyone who has got onto a PGCE i wanted to do one for those of us who are not as of yet and are still getting rejected and put to second choice etc. So my story: I applied to Roehampton had an interview then was rejected and am at present waiting for IOE who have put me as a stop.. :frown: I really want to teach History. I am astounded by just how hard it is becoming to get into teaching! I graduated last year with a 2:1 and am a teaching assisant in a secondary school

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Original post by cutebat
Hey guys,

I thought seeing as there is a thread for everyone who has got onto a PGCE i wanted to do one for those of us who are not as of yet and are still getting rejected and put to second choice etc. So my story: I applied to Roehampton had an interview then was rejected and am at present waiting for IOE who have put me as a stop.. :frown: I really want to teach History. I am astounded by just how hard it is becoming to get into teaching! I graduated last year with a 2:1 and am a teaching assisant in a secondary school


So sorry to hear that, cutebat. I know History is a really popular specialism and it's becoming even harder with the cuts to training places. I was rejected from both my choices last year for primary and was absolutely gutted. Seriously. Like I'd been punched in the gut. I know how frustrating it is when you can't seem to get anywhere with what you want to do.

However, I reapplied to different universities this year and I got into my first choice! So it can be done. IOE just need more information to consider you so it doesn't automatically reject, hence the stop. Hope this one works out - concentrate on performing at your best on the interview day. But if not, remember there's always next year, and don't ever give up if this is what you want. Very best of luck.
Reply 2
I've just had to apply to four more choices because Leeds Trinity had my application from October to last week which meant every other choice was full! I knew competition was fierce and that places were few and far between but didn't realise how much!
Hoping that this second chance of choices will get me a place!
Reply 3
Original post by glittersticks
So sorry to hear that, cutebat. I know History is a really popular specialism and it's becoming even harder with the cuts to training places. I was rejected from both my choices last year for primary and was absolutely gutted. Seriously. Like I'd been punched in the gut. I know how frustrating it is when you can't seem to get anywhere with what you want to do.

However, I reapplied to different universities this year and I got into my first choice! So it can be done. IOE just need more information to consider you so it doesn't automatically reject, hence the stop. Hope this one works out - concentrate on performing at your best on the interview day. But if not, remember there's always next year, and don't ever give up if this is what you want. Very best of luck.


Thanks glittersticks! Congratualations on your offer so happy for you- I definetly won't give up everyday I work at the school I know I can't imagine doing anything else except teaching. Are you looking froward to starting? :smile:
Reply 4
Original post by Furbiiee
I've just had to apply to four more choices because Leeds Trinity had my application from October to last week which meant every other choice was full! I knew competition was fierce and that places were few and far between but didn't realise how much!
Hoping that this second chance of choices will get me a place!


Thats so frustrating they kept it for so long! Did they at least give you an interview for keeping it for so long? What do you want to teach? Fingers crossed you have better luck with your next choices
Reply 5
Original post by cutebat
Thats so frustrating they kept it for so long! Did they at least give you an interview for keeping it for so long? What do you want to teach? Fingers crossed you have better luck with your next choices


They gave me a group interview (they invite you for group and then if you're successful you get invited back for a subject specific interview) and then rejected me because i 'lacked an understanding of teachers and secondary schools' according to the rejection letter (I've emailed the admissions people to have better feedback but so far, no proper response!) when I've been working with secondary schools/shadowing History teachers/ working with children from Year 12!

And I want to teach History. I can't imagining teaching anything or else or going into any other profession!
Reply 6
Original post by Furbiiee
They gave me a group interview (they invite you for group and then if you're successful you get invited back for a subject specific interview) and then rejected me because i 'lacked an understanding of teachers and secondary schools' according to the rejection letter (I've emailed the admissions people to have better feedback but so far, no proper response!) when I've been working with secondary schools/shadowing History teachers/ working with children from Year 12!

And I want to teach History. I can't imagining teaching anything or else or going into any other profession!


Im sorry to hear that Furbiiee! What kind of rejection was that?! Especially if you have loads of experience. Roehampton told me to get a job as a TA.... Ive been a TA for the last two years... Some how I think they don't read applications properly sometimes. Where are you waiting to hear back from now?
Reply 7
Original post by cutebat
Im sorry to hear that Furbiiee! What kind of rejection was that?! Especially if you have loads of experience. Roehampton told me to get a job as a TA.... Ive been a TA for the last two years... Some how I think they don't read applications properly sometimes. Where are you waiting to hear back from now?


Waiting on Cumbria and they've had my application for three/four weeks. I've applied to Notts, Keele and Aberstwyth but they're all full up now too!
I'm not having much luck, plus I'm not a fan of the "sending your application to one uni at a time" thing...

Do you reckon it's worth emailing/ringing Cumbria at some point? Just because, I'm panicking!
Reply 8
Original post by Furbiiee
Waiting on Cumbria and they've had my application for three/four weeks. I've applied to Notts, Keele and Aberstwyth but they're all full up now too!
I'm not having much luck, plus I'm not a fan of the "sending your application to one uni at a time" thing...

Do you reckon it's worth emailing/ringing Cumbria at some point? Just because, I'm panicking!


I'm not a fan of this one uni thing either! Don't understand why it can't just be like UCAS. You should ring them! I have been ringing IOE for three weeks (They put a stop on my application) They told me this afternoon that I have an interview in march! But they havent sent emails or changed application on GTTR yet so I only found out because I rung. Its our right afterall we paid to apply! :smile: good luck and keep my posted on how you get on
Reply 9
Im applying for a Primary PGCE, I was declined by Edge Hill on the 18th January and Cumbria have had my application ever since, they put a stop on it.
I'm currently working with a teacher who went to cumbria, and she said they are very thorough with their applications, and they are more interested in you as a person rather than your grades!
Reply 10
Original post by cutebat
I'm not a fan of this one uni thing either! Don't understand why it can't just be like UCAS. You should ring them! I have been ringing IOE for three weeks (They put a stop on my application) They told me this afternoon that I have an interview in march! But they havent sent emails or changed application on GTTR yet so I only found out because I rung. Its our right afterall we paid to apply! :smile: good luck and keep my posted on how you get on




Original post by Bookworm-89
Im applying for a Primary PGCE, I was declined by Edge Hill on the 18th January and Cumbria have had my application ever since, they put a stop on it.
I'm currently working with a teacher who went to cumbria, and she said they are very thorough with their applications, and they are more interested in you as a person rather than your grades!


Shall do! I'm going to email them in the morning I think, something at this hour might give a bad impression!

And they've still got places left for History PGCE as far as I'm aware so it's probably why they might be taking so long. Although my application got sent to them RIGHT on the 28th feb reply deadline...
Cumbria emailed me two weeks ago asking me how many days I had spent in mainstream schooling, and I have still not heard anything :smile: There are still vacancies though! Like I said, they keep places open for people who don't get onto their first choice, but still have the potential to be good teachers
Reply 12
Hi Bookworm. I also got rejected by Edge Hill and only just applied to Cumbria for their PGCE primary distributed learning on Monday. I was kind of hoping they would come back quickly on a decision but from you're posts, it would appear not. Did you apply for general primary or the distributed learning route? How frustrating for you. Surely you're application would have shown how many days you had worked in a school? Anyway, good luck & hope you hear something soon.
Hey, just thought I'd say that I'm also in the same boat :smile:

I had an interview at Man Met for a primary PGCE but got rejected in December. Now I'm just waiting for my interview at Leeds Met next Wednesday and hoping they see how much I want to teach and how determined I am. I'm a bit worried though as I know it's their last set of interviews and they've already given out places to previous interviewees so there's probably less places left I guess.

Like others have already said, I knew it'd be competitive to get on the course but, at Man Met at least, it was so hard haha.
(edited 12 years ago)
I still haven't got on a PGCE course yet either. IoE rejected me... I was sent a letter inviting me to interview back in December and it said the interview was February... I prepared so hard but obviously not enough :frown: My 2nd choice was full so I have now applied to Exeter for Primary with English Specialism :smile: And I have put Goldsmith's down as well.

I really REALLY hate the one at a time application process too!
Original post by hb137
Hi Bookworm. I also got rejected by Edge Hill and only just applied to Cumbria for their PGCE primary distributed learning on Monday. I was kind of hoping they would come back quickly on a decision but from you're posts, it would appear not. Did you apply for general primary or the distributed learning route? How frustrating for you. Surely you're application would have shown how many days you had worked in a school? Anyway, good luck & hope you hear something soon.


Hi! It is a bit frustrating! But no news is good news! I've applied for general primary. The school I'm at now is my first school ever and I'm volunteering do I think they wanted to make sure I have actually stayed there! It just worries me that they longer they leave it, that if I do get offered an interview, I won't get much time to prepare! I take it your in the north west area? I hope you hear soon too!!
Reply 16
I sent my application off on the 28th october, had my interview at Edge Hill on the 25th January, and found out last night that I never got in. They said they would send out the responses in 20 working days, I received my unsuccessful response 20 working days later at 8pm, and all people have said to me today it they must've been undecided on you thats why they left it so late! But that doesn't help really, I was so unbelievably gutted, like I'm guessing you guys all were! I don't know what my feedback says yet as they are sending it out in the post after '10 working days' :unimpressed:.

My application has gone off to hope now! I'm so glad they've got places left! I'm just worried that they will give me a week to fully prepare and I'll have assignment due in or something that week :frown: x
Reply 17
I've had lots of experience working in primary and didn't get on at Edge Hill either, plus the feedback was very vague, so no idea what they look for! If you get an interview at Hope it is a much nicer experience, - they're not so interested in ticking boxes, more in getting to know the person. It's not a whole-day affair either - starts at 3pm! You get a short talk on the course, then 20 mins to complete a page with a passage, on which you have to underline incorrectly spelled words and put the correct spelling above. Also you get another page of text to read and you have to pick out salient points and relate it to your own school experience - mainly to see how you write I think. It's not hard but do the spellings first as I didn't and had to rush at end! You're then taken in groups of 5-7 people and you each have to read a passage from a children's book you've chosen and brought and explain the age/key stage it's aimed at and why you chose it. Some people used props for the KS1 books like fluffy toys etc. Think it's to see how engaging/expressive you can be. After that, they have about 4 questions on a piece of paper but no'one has a one-to-one, you talk and answer in the group, so it's very relaxed. Things like 'What makes a good teacher', 'What do you know about safeguarding' 'What is your area of specialism and why?' but these can change. As long as you come across as enthusiastic and listen to others as well as articulately getting your points across, you'll be fine! you don't need to prepare much, but look over your personal statement before you go. I did no prep other than choose my book and it was all very relaxed! Good luck with Hope
Reply 18
Original post by Jenny_G
I sent my application off on the 28th october, had my interview at Edge Hill on the 25th January, and found out last night that I never got in. They said they would send out the responses in 20 working days, I received my unsuccessful response 20 working days later at 8pm, and all people have said to me today it they must've been undecided on you thats why they left it so late! But that doesn't help really, I was so unbelievably gutted, like I'm guessing you guys all were! I don't know what my feedback says yet as they are sending it out in the post after '10 working days' :unimpressed:.

My application has gone off to hope now! I'm so glad they've got places left! I'm just worried that they will give me a week to fully prepare and I'll have assignment due in or something that week :frown: x


Jenny that is really terrible you should ask for more feedback! We need to know what we can improve on for our next interviews. Im still waiting for Roehampton to give me feedback apparently they were supposed to send out sheets but I never recieved one they just said get a job as a TA.... but I already am a TA! Hope you hear from your next one soon. We're coming into March now! Keep holding on :smile:
Reply 19
Original post by cutebat
Jenny that is really terrible you should ask for more feedback! We need to know what we can improve on for our next interviews. Im still waiting for Roehampton to give me feedback apparently they were supposed to send out sheets but I never recieved one they just said get a job as a TA.... but I already am a TA! Hope you hear from your next one soon. We're coming into March now! Keep holding on :smile:


The lack of feedback from universities is really bad! I can sort of understand how overworked they are with the sheer number of applications but that doesn't help you guys!
Just harass them as much as you can! Back in my undergrad days when I didn't get into KCL I was quite upset and they didn't want to provide feedback and said they had no obligation to do so blah blah blah... But I think they're meant to and I kept on at this poor guy's secretary and eventually to get rid of my I had an informative, if not constructive, discussion with the head of admissions. Same for UCL as it happens...

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